The holidays can be hectic with shopping, schoolwork, cooking, planning, and more. When you add this never-ending list to a pandemic, holiday burn out is real. There are many joyous celebrations to enjoy while managing the back to back holiday season.
Be conscious of things that you can do to ease the process and keep the atmosphere jolly.
For the James party of 9 gift-giving can be a challenge. We started our Secret Santa many years ago so that the entire family is not tempted to purchase a gift for everyone. We calculated that if our 7 kids purchased just one gift for each sibling that would total 42 gifts for sibling gift exchange (7 kids x 6 sibling gifts = 42 gifts). If we purchased just 3 gifts per kid that is an additional 21 gifts (7 kids x 3 gifts = 21 gifts). That's 63 gifts for the kids. If you add grandmas 2-3 gifts per child, that’s 21 more gifts. We’re up to 84 gifts! We really would need some of Santa’s elves to come to our gift wrapping party.
We instead love to keep Christ in Christmas and take a relationship building approach to the holiday. We’re always looking for ways to minimize shopping and focus more on making memories as a family. It’s exciting to open gifts on Christmas morning, but the real win can be simple things like making a Christmas breakfast, watching a Christmas movie, traveling to visit family, or sharing dinner.
Here is my Top 10 list of How to Avoid Holiday Burnout:
Be intentional and prioritize
Find your why for the holiday and center all your activities around it.
Plan Quiet time for yourself
Spend time, even if only for a few moments, relaxing by yourself this holiday. This year has been tough, but take time to reflect.
Embrace the emotional challenges
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? Take time to reflect on the memories while embracing the emotional challenges of their absence.
Simplify your menu
Spend more time connecting and less time cooking. We’re all trying to drop weight anyway so shorten the menu.
Let things be imperfect
Your holiday doesn’t have to be perfect nor do the people in it. Love what you have.
Delegate & ask for help
It’s okay to ask for help and people who love you are happy to assist.
Give a gift to yourself
Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself to something.
Move away from the crowd
Try to shop during non-peak hours where fewer people are shopping. It will help you to relax and think about what you really want to purchase.
Avoid the comparison game
Don’t compare. You will compare your worst with their best to come up short every time. Focus on your very best.
Create memories
The only thing you possess is your memories. Make your memories sweet and special.